Sesshomaru's Weakness
by Requiem of Flames
Summary: It takes more than ambition, strength, and tolerance to be a father figure. Ever heard the story of a demon caring for a human child? Strange circumstances have strange beginnings. -sequel to 'Inutaisho's Weakness.'-
1. Admiration

Sesshomaru's Weakness

Summary: It takes more than ambition, strength, and tolerance to be a father. Ever heard the story of a demon caring for a human child? Strange circumstances have strange beginnings.

**Part One: Admiration**

There is a story, about a demon who was Lord of the Western Lands. If not for his poisonous claws, fearsome golden eyes that struck ice into the hearts of the weak, and deadly inhuman speeds, one might call him an angel. He wore pristine white robes, with only a spiked chest plate and hip guards for armor, for this particular demon battled quite often.

But war was to be expected for this demon. He cared for no one, felt only the pull of his sword's voice in his heart, the ambition of ultimate conquest. His golden eyes were not warm and compassionate like his father's, but hardened and icy, reflective like glass so that one could see the look of terror on their face as he cut them down with his claws. When he inherited Inutaisho's rule of the Western Lands, and all the people within it, and most of all... his battles.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had collapsed, dazed, beneath a tall oak tree after his latest battle with his _despicable, ill-bred_ half-brother, Inuyasha. His pale, clawed hand gripped Tenseiga to his chest, and he gazed down at the blade with angry red eyes. How dare that _mutt _strike him down? And with a sword that was not even his? He growled lowly in his throat as the scene played over and over in his mind, screaming defeat and disgrace. He, the Lord of the Western Lands, full-blooded dog demon... had been defeated in battle by a pathetic excuse of his father's bloodline.

Slowly his wounds slowed their bleeding, and he hesitantly leaned back against the trunk of the tree to rest as the sun began its decent behind the western mountains. His eyes faded back into their golden hue and gently closed; with his nose inhaling the scent of the forest and all it's inhabitants every few seconds, his resting place was surely secure. And yet... an unpleasant scent reached him shortly after. His eyes snapped open.

A human girl dared to trespass upon his resting place? The thought, to him, was impossible, but even more impossible was the thought of him mistaking such a scent. A low growl started deep within his chest and moved up to his throat, growing in both volume and ferocity. It was a warning.

Sure enough, the bushes rustled softly to his right, and a small, human child peeked out from behind a tree trunk, her bright brown eyes staring at him wildly. Sesshomaru growled threateningly, his eyes flaring back into the piercing scarlet glare. The girl staggered back, gasping in terror, but she didn't leave. Her tiny, dirt-covered jaw set firmly in determination as she stepped toward him, her lips puckered into a frown. She stared at him, transfixed for a few minutes before turning and disappearing into the shrubbery once more. Sesshomaru stared after her and leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. The sooner his injuries healed, the sooner he could leave this forest.

While he healed, the girl came back every now and again, never showing herself but making her presence known with snapping twigs, the soft pounding of her footsteps on the dirt, and rustling leaves. Then, just before night had fallen completely, the girl showed up with a small bamboo container of water. It sloshed and spilled as she set it down within his reach, and he stared at her coldly. She didn't smell of fear, and her face was completely composed as she came within his reach once again, to set down a small fish and a pile of dirty mushrooms. Just as she turned to leave, Sesshomaru pinned her with a glare.

"Mind your business," he ordered, no trace of emotion in his voice. "I don't eat what humans eat." She stopped, shocked by his voice. She turned, staring wide-eyed to see if he really had spoken, and he met her gaze evenly. When he said nothing more, she scurried into the bushes without a second look back. Sesshomaru was finally alone and able to get some rest.

_She was not frightened._ The thought bothered him, but not as much as it bothered him to be bothered by it. If that made sense. He sighed softly and stared out into the dark night. He could still smell her in the clearing. Her scent was not unpleasant like most humans. She didn't reek of urine and feces, of dirt, or of sweat. Her scent was actually floral, somehow, pure. Like cherry blossoms, or azalea.

Interesting. But the thought was only an echo of curiosity, and like all other impulses, it soon faded and disappeared. He closed his eyes once more and did not allow his thoughts to dwell on the human child.

The next morning, as he stared into the yellows and oranges of the rising sun, he heard the soft patter of feet on the grass. He could smell her long before she entered the clearing, and he could also smell the freshly picked vegetables in her arms. She stopped behind that same tree as before, as if waiting for him to acknowledge her.

"No thanks," he told her, not moving his gaze from the sunrise. She ran forward anyway, kneeling in front of him and offering the vegetables to him. He glanced at them momentarily. "I told you I don't need anything." She let the vegetables roll out of her hands and onto the ground, her head dropping in disappointment. Sesshomaru sniffed lightly and was surprised to smell fresh blood under her skin. He glanced over at her face, uncertain of what to think when he saw her.

Her right eye was swollen shut, her face and neck covered in purple and blue splotches. Who had done this to her? She reeked of men. Had she been attacked? Sesshomaru felt no desire to find out, and yet, even for humans, ganging up on a child was downright dishonorable. The thought heated his blood.

"What's with those bruises on your face?" The inquiry came out as more of a demand, and she looked up at him, surprised. She didn't answer, and it hadn't occurred to Sesshomaru that maybe she couldn't speak, either. He looked away. "If you don't want to talk, that's fine."

She stared in shock for a moment, and then grinned, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. A few of them were missing, probably from the beating she had recently endured. Sesshomaru blinked slowly.

"What're you smiling about? I only asked a question."

But it had been more than a question, it had been attention. He had noticed her injuries, looked at her and known that she felt pain. She must have felt as though someone cared. Sesshomaru watched her scamper off once more, and found himself eager to heal and be rid of the nuisance. She made him think of things he had no reason to feel. Feelings he did not want, nor did he need.

Later that day, his time of healing was completed sooner than he thought, and he left the clearing before the girl could return. The path led him to his warhorse, the twin-headed dragon named Ah-Un. They raised their heads and growled in greeting, and on his saddle sat Jaken. His grating voice rose in volume.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Would you have let me die that time?! Lord Sesshomaru!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, the dog-demon plucked two rocks from the dirt path, flinging one easily into Jaken's head. The imp shrieked and dropped to the ground, rubbing his head. He jumped back up onto the saddle without a second thought, this time facing his Lord. "Lord Sesshomaru! Were you testing your sword on me?!"

The toad probably did not want the truthful answer to that question. Sesshomaru raised a silver brow. "Weren't you looking for me out of concern?"

"Err…well…Lord Sesshomaru, I'm so glad to see you well." With a sharp flick of the wrist, the second rock flew out of Sesshomaru's hand and into Jaken's forehead. He stepped past the dragon, preparing to leave, when a gust of wind blew past them, carrying a mixture of unpleasant scents. Wolves... and blood. The smell of this blood was thick, and it was familiar.

_That girl..._ He turned on his heel and stalked back into the forest immediately, following the scent. As the smell of her blood grew stronger, realization settled on him. She was not alive. He followed the path past the clearing and saw a small bundle covered in a pink kimono lying in the street. Her battered, bloody body was curled in a defensive ball, her kimono torn and stained with her blood and the scent of wolves.

Something settled in the dog demon's chest. Guilt? For what? It was not his job to protect the girl. And yet she had taken care of him. Not for a reward, not because she was told to. She was not like most humans. She was pure. Caring.

"What is that? Oh..." Jaken had finally reached them, and waddled up to the girl slowly. "She's a goner. Must have been attacked by wolves. She's been bitten to death." He seemed to notice the recognition in his Lord's eyes, the way he looked down at her. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you know this human?"

Sesshomaru wasn't listening. His thoughts had wandered to her smile, her silence. She had not been afraid. She did not quake in fear, shout in anger, scream and run from him, take advantage of his weakened state and run to get villagers to kill him, a demon. She was courageous child, more courageous than over half of her species. Was that good, or bad? He was a demon lord who prided himself on the ability to instill fear in others.

_No,_ he thought. _That matters not. I am honorable. She tried to sustain my life, though unnecessary. I will return the favor._ Tenseiga pulsed strongly in agreement at his hip and he unsheathed it without a pause. Jaken stuttered.

"L-Lord Sesshomaru?"

The blade throbbed in his hand and began to glow, and a new scene entirely faded into sight. Surrounding the small girl was a gang of small demons, carrying chains and hand-held scythes as they collected her soul.

_I see... I can see them._ He frowned. "They are from the Netherworld? Should I try it...?" _The power of Tensei_ga... _the power to resurrect and heal_.Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in concentration. What a perfect opportunity to test the sword's power. The demons turned to him and chattered in fear. He sliced through them as easily as if they were made of air, and they crumbled into dust that evaporated in the breeze. Swiftly, he sheathed his sword and knelt beside the girl, scooping her up into his single arm. He waited, until suddenly a gentle thumping replaced the silence that rang in his ears. He gasped.

_Her heart is beating once more. She is breathing... Incredible._

Her eyes shot open, staring up at him in delighted surprise. Sesshomaru gazed back, confused by the rush of emotions that danced in her eyes. Wonder. Admiration. Happiness. Gratefulness. Loyalty. He released her and stood, turning away without a word. Jaken sat once more in Ah-Un's saddle as they departed, and when Sesshomaru had reached no further than twenty feet away, he heard the gentle patter of bare feet on the dirt path, echoing after his own.

_Hmm... Tenseiga, huh? It made me save a human._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Ta-dah! Could be better, I'll admit. But this first part is kinda boring. The next parts will be better. Stay tuned! And if you could please leave a little review? It's comforting to know when people enjoy my writing. =] Thanks for reading!


	2. Loyalty

Sesshomaru's Weakness

Summary: It takes more than ambition, strength, and tolerance to be a father. Ever heard the story of a demon caring for a human child? Strange circumstances have strange beginnings.

* * *

**Part Two: Loyalty**

"_Sesshomaru, you intend to go to the Underworld for the sake of saving a human?"_

He turned his back on his mother and stepped into the Underworld without hesitation, leaving Jaken to stutter and cry at his mother's feet. The hell hound that had taken Rin and Kohaku was slow- it would not get away from him. He flew effortlessly through the darkness until he spotted a thin, rocky path, and on it was the large, hairy beast bounding away from him. Flexing his claws with grim satisfaction, he pounced.

The beast roared and leapt away, and Sesshomaru could sense Rin and Kohaku lying unconscious within its stomach. _Alive, but if I do not hurry..._ Minions from the netherworld were closing in on their souls fast. He drew Tenseiga and sliced, tearing the hell hound in two and freeing Kohaku and Rin from their prison. After a moment, the boy opened his eyes, to Sesshomaru's surprise. Humans could not survive long within the Underworld.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

"It appears that you can move. The power of the Shikon jewel shard, I suppose." The path behind them crumbled to dust, and all around them, demons materialized from the darkness. Sesshomaru glanced back to Kohaku. "Take Rin and run."

As he slashed and tore at the snakes and dragons, his mother's questions ran through his mind once more, seeking answers he had not given. He growled and cleared his mind, focusing only on his claws and sword. The threat soon disappeared, and he wordlessly caught up to Kohaku and started down the path once more. Perhaps the end of the road would show them a way to get back to the outside world. After only a moment of walking, however, Kohaku stopped, looking wide-eyed at the girl sleeping on his back.

"Rin! Lord Sesshomaru, Rin isn't breathing!"

The dog demon halted immediately, his eyes widening. _Rin is dead? Already? _He drew Tenseiga. "Set her down," he ordered, but as soon as the words left his lips, he saw a problem. The minions of the netherworld were not there. Tenseiga could not save her.

_What is the meaning of this?!_ Adrenaline shot through him, setting him on edge as his mind raced. _Why, Tenseiga? Answer me!_

From the outside world, he could hear his mother speaking. _"There are no minions for you to cut, Sesshomaru. You will have to defeat the Guardian of the Underworld. Perhaps then, she may be revived."_

"Forgive me, Lord Sesshomaru." The boy clenched his fists. "I was with her, and yet..."

Sesshomaru paid no attention to the child. He narrowed his eyes at the young corpse at his feet, uncertainty coursing through him for the first time, as well as... regret? _I shouldn't have brought her with me, _he thought. _When I brought her back to life after the wolves attacked her, I should have left her in a human village. _The darkness pulsed around them, pulling him from his thoughts as it swarmed around them and suffocated them, until it swallowed everything and Sesshomaru could see, hear, smell, feel, even taste the darkness. When it retreated shortly after, Kohaku gasped.

"It took Rin!"

Sesshomaru raced after it, uncertainty replaced with determination. He would kill the Guardian of the Underworld. He would get Rin back. He caught her scent in the darkness, floral and sweet despite the stench of demon and death that polluted the air around him. His mother was determined to stop him, it seemed, as portal to the living world opened, revealing his mother's palace in the sky.

"Come out, Sesshomaru! If you continue further, you'll exit the Underworld. However, this path will soon close. Once it does, you'll never be able to return to the living world."

"Kohaku, take this portal outside." The demon stared at the portal unblinkingly and moved to the left, away from the opening, and found that a new path formed beneath his feet. _Rin's scent is stronger this direction._

"I'm coming with you, Lord Sesshomaru!"The patter of feet echoed after him, and he felt a twinge of remorse. _Rin. I will come for you._ The darkness receded as they reached the end, and Sesshomaru watched as a large, faceless giant gripped Rin's tiny body in its fist. The Guardian of the Underworld. He stood surrounded by endless piles of human corpses, towering over them all, but Sesshomaru leapt up and sliced him in two as easily as if he were made of paper. Such was the power of the healing Tenseiga.

"Rin." He grabbed her petite body in midair and twisted, landing lightly on his feet. _I've done it. I've defeated the Guardian of the Underworld. She can be saved now._ "Rin, wake up."

Nothing happened. "Rin."

His mother's voice once more drifted to his ears. "_Tenseiga has already brought the girl to life? Then she cannot possibly be brought back again."_

Tenseiga fell from his hand, and he gripped the child's body to his chest. _She cannot be saved? I cannot save her?_ He glared at his father's fang. _I let her die for this... thing. Tenseiga._ He felt his blood boiling, and struggled to keep his claws from pricking her. She was slumped peacefully against his fur, her expression as calm as if she were sleeping. His heart thumped unsteadily in his chest. _No, nothing could ever be worth the cost of Rin's life!_

Tenseiga began to glow, and the eerie blue lights shifted around him until the healing abilities began drawing in the corpses scattered around him. They moaned and crawled toward the blade. A way out, it called to them. Sesshomaru grabbed it once more, and the light pierced the darkness, tearing a whole in it and purifying the corrupted human bodies. Tenseiga pulsed in his hands, and he swung at the darkness, his strong voice resonating throughout both worlds:

"MEIDOU ZANGETSUHA!!"

* * *

"Sesshomaru," his mother called, meeting him as he exited the Underworld. He set Rin's lifeless body down carefully, and stood to meet his mother's gaze. She frowned at what she saw. "Sesshomaru, you look dejected. You have survived the Underworld, and Tenseiga has grown as you wished. Shouldn't you be rejoicing?"

He said nothing, but then, he didn't have to. His mother could read it in his eyes. She sighed, ignoring the tears of the imp that now fussed over Rin's body.

"Tenseiga can only bring one back from the dead once, Sesshomaru. It is no trifle to bring a soul back numerous times. Did you believe yourself to be a God?" At his shock, she scoffed. "Did you think you need not fear death while wielding Tenseiga?" She looked at the young child, merely an infant in demon years. A new born. "It is natural for something to die, having only lived once. This child was allowed to live twice. Is that not enough?

Compassion and sadness," she continued. "Your father told me that these were the requirements of mastering Tenseiga. He who had nothing to cherish could never wield Tenseiga, the healing blade. But if you learned compassion, and fear of death, you could not only master the healing blade, but the weapon inside of the blade, as well. The ability to send your enemies to the Underworld: Meidou Zangetsuha."

_Rin had to die in order for the Tenseiga to grow, _Sesshomaru realized. _Was that Mother's plan all along?_

"Are you crying, little demon?" Sesshomaru's mother turned to Jaken, who was sobbing into his sleeve. The imp, embarrassed, stuttered,

"Since Sesshomaru w-will never cry, it is my duty to shed t-tears for him!"

"Oh? Are you sad, Sesshomaru?"

_Sad?_ He stared down at his ward, the scent of death permeating the very air he breathed. It seemed to poison him from within, suffocating him and hollowing out his insides all at once. Was that sadness? His face remained as blank as always, but his mother could see everything. She sighed.

"Do not expect another chance." She lifted her necklace from around her neck and laid it against Rin's heart, humming as it began to glow. "The light is her soul, trapped in the Underworld."

_Th-Thump. Th-Thump._ There was a deep breath, and Rin began coughing, choking on the air. Jaken and Kohaku exclaimed their joy aloud, but Sesshomaru wasted no time. He knelt beside the child and reached for her, his large hand moving the side of her face and cupping her warm cheek.

_She was alive._

"Lord... Sesshomaru," Rin stated happily, moving her tiny hand over his. Relief rushed through him so fast he became dizzy. He helped her to sit up, his ears focused only on the rhythm of her beating heart.

"You're fine now," he told her.

"Yes," she agreed, beaming up at him.

Her mother scoffed. "All this just for a little human girl."

_No,_ he argued in his mind, _not just a little human girl. For Rin._

* * *

A/N: Ta-dah! Could be better, I'll admit, but I though it was good enough to post. Stay tuned! Sorry it took so long!!! And if you could please leave a little review? It's comforting to know when people enjoy my writing. =] Thanks for reading!


End file.
